The Impossible Race: Cragbridge Hall, Volume 3 by Chad Morris Read Free Book Online Page A

believe you have to consider other questions. For example, if it can show you the future, should you look?” He pointed toward Abby in the seat with his cane.
    Abby sat there a moment, thinking about the question. Under normal conditions she wasn’t sure about the answer. In this case, it seemed more important. Her brother’s life depended on it. In fact, hundreds, thousands, or even millions of lives that would get the Ash also depended on it.
    “We live in a world where we cannot naturally see the future. I believe that has many benefits.” The image of Grandpa paced the laboratory. “For example, there are some things about Nikola Tesla that I have always admired.” A slender, mustached man in a suit appeared on the screens. “He is the inventor that changed and improved motors, radio, and the channeling of electricity.” The image on the screens changed to show the inventor sitting in a chair while a large coil three times his size shot bolts of electricity in every direction. It was like a concentrated lightning storm.
    “Tesla idolized Thomas Edison,” Grandpa continued, “but the two became bitter enemies. Tesla fought for his idea of providing electricity through alternating current. Edison fought back, claiming direct current was better.” Screens showed Edison speaking about the dangers of his opponent’s electricity and even threatening to show what it would do to animals. “But alternating current was the stronger idea and eventually won out.”
    Abby hadn’t really heard of Tesla before her grandfather’s first clue. If Tesla’s idea was better than Edison’s, why wasn’t he more famous? “Tesla even had the idea of providing free electricity.” An image appeared of a large tower under construction. “And his work was well under way until the businessman who was supposed to be financing his work pulled the plug and ruined Tesla’s reputation.”
    “And this,” Grandpa said, pointing at the screen. It showed an old man lying on a bed in a seedy hotel room, his skin taut around his cheekbones and his eyes sunken. He looked like he hadn’t eaten well in weeks. “This is how Nikola Tesla died. Penniless, unknown, and all alone. The man had over five thousand patents in his name and changed the world forever, but this was his end—forgotten in a hotel room.”
    Grandpa looked toward Abby in the desk chair. “If he had known this is how it would end, would he have made our world better? If he could have foreseen the heartache, the breakdowns, would he have worked as hard?” The image of Grandpa took a few guarded steps. “And what about me? Would I have invented the Bridge if I could do it all again?” He looked ahead very seriously then exhaled.
    That was a good question. If he had known it would lead to him and his son and daughter-in-law lying unconscious for weeks, would he have done it? If he had known it could possibly lead to his grandson’s death, and Muns in control, would he have gone through with it? Abby wasn’t sure.
    Grandpa placed his hand on his chest. “I believe we need to do our very best. We have a responsibility to think about the consequences of our actions, but not to overly worry about the future.” He pointed his cane at Abby. “You need to think very seriously about whether or not you should see the future, if in fact, the Bridge can do that. Seeing the opposition we would face in the future may be a great burden. Perhaps even a pitfall.”
    The top of Grandpa’s desk shifted back and another flat surface rose to the top. On it lay what looked like over a hundred items. One looked like a tangled mess of wire, another like a metal star, another like a silver bowl. There was a great variety in their shapes, but each was small enough to fit in the palm of Abby’s hand. “If you would like to pursue this question further,” Grandpa said, “perhaps one of these objects will help. You will need to make a choice without knowing the future, without knowing the